By Team Clarion
AGARTALA/KHOWAI — A 45-year-old Muslim cattle trader was allegedly beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cattle theft in Tripura’s Khowai district in the early hours of Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Jalilur Rahman, 46, son of Habibur Rahman, a resident of Ghilatali Bazar area under Kalyanpur police station. He was a cattle trader and an active worker of the All India Kisan Sabha.
According to police and family, the incident took place at Bagber locality under Kalyanpur police station following a pre-dawn alert by a villager about a suspected cattle theft attempt.
Police said Rahman was returning home with two cows he had purchased with his own money when he was stopped and attacked at around 4.30-4.45 am.
The family denies the theft allegation. According to the family, Rahman had purchased the cattle from farmer Anukul Debnath at Bagber on Wednesday but could not take possession that day because it was the weekly market day. He had gone to collect the cattle before dawn on Thursday to take them to the cattle market at Bagan Bazar.
Media reports said Rahman was taking the cattle from the farmer’s house when some residents saw him and accused him of being a cattle thief. He was then surrounded and brutally assaulted. He suffered severe injuries, including fractures to his hands and legs.
Despite his injuries, Rahman managed to call his family. When his wife, Lilufa Begum, and father-in-law rushed to the spot, they were also allegedly attacked.
Police from Kalyanpur reached the spot and took Rahman to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.